Season 6 Episode 2: Chicken Cheeks

Hello Friends & Family,

I had my first District Leader Exchanges this week, it was strange being on the other end of them. As far as organizing them and making sure that I was the one (trying to) setting the example in the missionary work. (I always end up learning more from them, than they do me)

Exchanges were very fun! Elder Edwards and I had some powerful lessons, where I spoke very little broken spanish I knew, and my specialty, nodded and smiled most of the time. He shared with me a technique of making sure we contact as many people as we can, and applying this has been very fruitful!

Elder Buttars and I had some very memorable moments. It started when we found out exactly why pineapple juice needed to be refrigerated. After opening it and returning a few hours later, we found it had inflated the carton. The carton was a lot more round than we had left it, and we both had no idea what to do with it. As we picked it up to investigate, it started spewing air and we immediately ran out to the patio and let it run its course. It was very anticlimactic and deflated rather slowly. We decided from that point to refrigerate all juices.

The day got even better when I found that we had scheduled a lesson with someone who potentially had a Deaf siblings! I had been longing for a well kept ASL conversation ever since I came to Lake Elsinore. Luckily the lesson kinda went through, when the family showed up at another house at the same time we had scheduled the lesson with them (it was very strange) and I met the Deaf Sister!! After a long conversation, she had to leave. Luckily she asked the magical question,

"Do you have a name sign?"

I just about fist pumped in the air (but withheld because that could mean something)

I got a new name sign! Huzzah!

Elder Buttars also got a name sign, and now both of our companions are very jealous.

We had 4 friends come to sacrament meeting, and 2 of them had baptisimal interviews with President Hammon. We will continue teaching them for now.

Final event for the week:

On Saturday we received a call, thinking it was something to do with ASL work I quickly answered. To my dismay, it had nothing to do with ASL and a lot to do with the STLs volunteering me to talk to a Seminary class. However, this was no ordinary address, I was required to dress and act as Nephi...

As I pondered about how to best do this, we left to a home visit with the Fergusons, after some conversation, the topic of childhood accidents/plunders came up. A story was shared about a sword falling off the wall and hitting one of them in the head. They excitedly shared that they still had the sword and decided to let us see it. I laughed for a long time at the story, and then a light bulb went off

I needed to be Nephi, Nephi has a sword, I could have a sword!

I asked, and they allowed me to borrow it for the seminary class.

This is about the only time where I could ever have a sword on my mission, but it was very funny to see the reactions of the highschoolers faces and a stranger, dressed up in rags, came running into the room with a large sword in hand. Believe it or not, it turned into a spiritual experience!

Also, we ate Chicken Cheeks. Gross

-Elder Vance

Season 6 Episode 1: Jesus loves you!!

Hello Friends & Family,

The start of my week was slightly hectic. Moving in a little late, and rushing to buy food. Yet throughout the week, we have had great success!

There were a few memorable lessons, the first was with our friend Chewy. Chewy had many questions about our church, and many of which were not easy to answer. After a long and deep conversation, we bore testimony that the only way for him to find out if the Book of Mormon was true, was to find it for himself. This made him think for quite a while, after a considerable amount of time he responded, "Im scared of what I'll have to change if I find that book is true". I took this as a good sign, considering that he now held in his mind the possibility of truth from that book. However, he then said something very profound,
"Tell me how you are better than me, because that is where I want to be"
That made us think!
Are we willing to look at others examples and improve ourselves?
We are teaching Chewy again this week, and he has asked some good questions which we will prepare for.

Many miracles happened this week! My new zone is fantastic! I love this work!

I will describe a bit of my new area:

There is a long dirt road called "lost road" that connects our 2 areas, it also is the fastest way between them and "Tiwi" doesn't register up there so we can go as fast as we want, so it really is THE FASTEST way! It is also very scary, so I don't actually drive that fast...

We cover a bit of Wildomar and Lake Elsinore. There is a HUGE gated
community called "Canyon Lakes". My guess would be that it encloses roughly 5-10 square miles and literally has a private lake in the middle of it. Sadly we aren't allowed to walk around in there, but the stars and water are very beautiful at night (as we drove speedily by).

There is a Walmart here so, take that Preston.

-Elder Vance

Season 5 Episode 6: Transfer Magic: The first meeting...

Friends & Family,

I suppose I will write my weekly email now!

I will not lie, I was very surprised when I saw that I was going to Lake Elsinore. My guess was Hemet, or somewhere close to that. However, after a semi-stressful move and a quick introduction to my new companion, I am very glad that I am here! This transfer (from the first few hours) seems to be one of my favorites already!

I will miss Elder Hallsted, but I know he is fully capable of handling the ASL area on his own. He was constantly fingerspelling/signing everything he could. His ASL skills have increased ten-fold since in time we have been in the field. I am excited to hear of his success!

The new zone has welcomed me very warmly. At 10:30 (1 hour before I left) I felt that I was leaving my family again. All the people whom I have grown to love I was leaving behind. Yet in the short amount of time that I have been here, I can't imagine leaving. My new companion Elder Lewis and we already have had alot of connecting. The only thing different (that we have found) is that He prefers the brass section, rather than the correct section of woodwinds. But we will get over that soon!

This week has been fantastic! We contacted many new ASL friends and also found quite a few new people to begin teaching. Elder Hallsted and I found a tiny neighborhood on the map that we haven't been to. As we felt compelled to investigate, we found not only THE COOLEST area (pontoosuc Drive), but also many new friends. Hopefully he goes back sometime soon.



To be frank, my mind seems not to be working right now, but all I can say is that I am extremely excited for this transfer!

Have a great week,

Elder Vance

Season 5 Episode 5: New year, new me!

Happy 

Happy New Year Friends & Family,

Another Week, another transfer (soon).
As this transfer comes to a close, I have looked back and been truly appreciative of the fruits which we have been able to see. Witnessing 2 baptisms of 2 very good friends of ours. Sadly, Kelly is moving to Colorado, but we are ironically happy she is! She is very excited to move closer to her family and is very enthusiastic about getting her children to church!
"Oh, He is going to church. I am his mother and he will do what I tell him!"
We helped her pack up and she should be on her way right now!

Deep Cleaning day was surprisingly fun. I found a speaker in my luggage and we were able to sing along to Hymns as we scrubbed every surface in the apartment. I have honestly never had a cleaner room in my entire life. We also were able to clear up some of our own clutter and rid ourselves of any unnecessary items (getting ready for transfers).

As I have come accustomed to the mission field, it always seems that missionaries will try to make "transfer guesses". Everyone tries to accurately predict what will happen and who will go where. I am usually actively involved in such activities, but I honestly have no idea what will happen this transfer. I know whatever happens, I will still be a missionary! (Hopefully still an ASL one too)

Our ASL class starts this Thursday, we have had many members from the stake show interest in learning. Also many of our friends who we talked to while walking around also have similar intrigue. Regardless of the make-up of the crowd, I feel that if we can arm the stake with some basic ASL knowledge, we can start to connect them with the ASL branch (which would be huge!). I hope that as the Branch participates in more service activities with other wards, they can be pleasantly surprised when they find out there are a few more people they can talk to!

Studies are great as usual.
We also were able to go on exchanges with the Office Elders this week. Elder Heaven and I learned quite a bit about being prepared for any situation, and also had a great time talking to literally everyone we saw. (Sadly I didn't get to use the queen size bed)

I am eagerly awaiting transfer calls!
-Elder Vance